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[RedSparrows]

New patch, new game.

My last was a custom nation - Cape, on South Africa. Was a bit too easy dominate the southern hemisphere, and a bit limited in terms of finding challenges.

Thus I think it is back to Europe, site of my best games: Tuscany to Italy to HRE ruling all if central and eastern Europe, the Bosphorus and Egypt being my favourite.

Reccs please: Burgundy? Byzantium? I want a bit of a challenge. Only play ironman.

 

[mkenyon]

New patch, new game.

My last was a custom nation - Cape, on South Africa. Was a bit too easy dominate the southern hemisphere, and a bit limited in terms of finding challenges.

Thus I think it is back to Europe, site of my best games: Tuscany to Italy to HRE ruling all if central and eastern Europe, the Bosphorus and Egypt being my favourite.

Reccs please: Burgundy? Byzantium? I want a bit of a challenge. Only play ironman.

Gelre->Netherlands is always fun.

 

[Uzzy]

Start as an Italian state and recreate the Roman Empire.

Byzantium is pretty easy to be honest. Just build a ton of galleys and you're golden.

 

[groshkar]

Byzantium is pretty easy to be honest. Just build a ton of galleys and you're golden.

The change to double ship building time in 1.12 had a big impact to this strategy. The Ottomans have so many more coastal provinces they can up their navy as quickly as they want, while you're only getting 3 every 2 years at maximum capacity. Its a lot harder to keep up. They will overbuild their support limit by a serious amount, getting into the 40s of total ships with easily 30 galleys.

Without naval supremacy, you're going to have to defeat their army in the field, and that's going to take some allies.

 

[groshkar]

New patch, new game.

My last was a custom nation - Cape, on South Africa. Was a bit too easy dominate the southern hemisphere, and a bit limited in terms of finding challenges.

Thus I think it is back to Europe, site of my best games: Tuscany to Italy to HRE ruling all if central and eastern Europe, the Bosphorus and Egypt being my favourite.

Reccs please: Burgundy? Byzantium? I want a bit of a challenge. Only play ironman.

Byzantium early game is pretty challenging. The new fort mechanic makes it a bit more difficult to pry the provinces you want away from the Ottomans. They won't give you any of your cores in a peace deal without having taken the fort in either Macedonia or Edirne. The increased build time for ships makes getting naval supremacy more difficult.

After coming out on top against the Ottomans, however, you are left in a position where you are basically doing something similar to what you would be as the Ottomans, only from a later date and probably focused more west rather than east.

 

[ag-my001]

EU4 is on the Daily Deals today, and a bunch of people (myself included) are looking for suggestions on which DLC to get for various reasons (best value, virtually required after patch, etc.). What says the |OT|?

For myself, I love playing republics in CK2, so I figured Res Publica and Wealth of Nations.

 

[Fitz]

EU4 is on the Daily Deals today, and a bunch of people (myself included) are looking for suggestions on which DLC to get for various reasons (best value, virtually required after patch, etc.). What says the |OT|?

For myself, I love playing republics in CK2, so I figured Res Publica and Wealth of Nations.

I don't think it's as clear cut as CK2 where most of the major DLC is just a case of unlocking certain play styles, Res Publica and Wealth of Nations are definitely good selections for trade focused nations. The latest DLC might be up your alley too, Common Sense, it allows for playing "tall" by improving provinces instead of having to conquer new land. Though the balance is off at the moment, best to wait for the upcoming patch to hopefully improve that front.

This page on the wiki may help.

Spoiler

You'd be better off with Vicky 2.

 

[Niahak]

EU4 is on the Daily Deals today, and a bunch of people (myself included) are looking for suggestions on which DLC to get for various reasons (best value, virtually required after patch, etc.). What says the |OT|?

For myself, I love playing republics in CK2, so I figured Res Publica and Wealth of Nations.

Here's what I have and my take on each:
Common Sense: Lets you develop your land to gradually grow its usefulness over time, not super well balanced at the moment
El Dorado: Good if you like colonizing, automates land exploration really well and sea exploration marginally well, also gets you gold shipments which are nice. This also has the unrelated Custom Nation feature which lets you create your own nonhistoric nation and customize it.
Art of War: Probably the most "useful" - lets you use vassals' cassus belli which lets you expand on their front as well as yours (e.g. as a Polish-Lithuanian union, you can expand into Russia and let Lithuania take the provinces)
Conquest of Paradise: Another colonization focused one, adds colonial nations (might be in base game now?), randomized new world, and features for Native American nations
Wealth of Nations: Trade focus, mostly pretty small stuff IMO. Setting a separate "trade capital", East India companies. Again good if you're colonizing / imperializing especially in India.
Res Publica: Has the really really useful national focus (which you can also get via Common Sense) mechanic which lets you adjust your monarch point generation. Cool mechanics for the Netherlands as well which has one of the more fun government types.


I'd say the most essential are Art of War and Res Publica right now, but it really depends a lot on how you like to play.

 

[Jhriad]

EU4 is on the Daily Deals today, and a bunch of people (myself included) are looking for suggestions on which DLC to get for various reasons (best value, virtually required after patch, etc.). What says the |OT|?

For myself, I love playing republics in CK2, so I figured Res Publica and Wealth of Nations.

Here's what I have and my take on each:
Common Sense: Lets you develop your land to gradually grow its usefulness over time, not super well balanced at the moment
El Dorado: Good if you like colonizing, automates land exploration really well and sea exploration marginally well, also gets you gold shipments which are nice. This also has the unrelated Custom Nation feature which lets you create your own nonhistoric nation and customize it.
Art of War: Probably the most "useful" - lets you use vassals' cassus belli which lets you expand on their front as well as yours (e.g. as a Polish-Lithuanian union, you can expand into Russia and let Lithuania take the provinces)
Conquest of Paradise: Another colonization focused one, adds colonial nations (might be in base game now?), randomized new world, and features for Native American nations
Wealth of Nations: Trade focus, mostly pretty small stuff IMO. Setting a separate "trade capital", East India companies. Again good if you're colonizing / imperializing especially in India.
Res Publica: Has the really really useful national focus (which you can also get via Common Sense) mechanic which lets you adjust your monarch point generation. Cool mechanics for the Netherlands as well which has one of the more fun government types.

Went ahead and crossed out all the expansions you shouldn't touch for the next few months. Agree with Niahak on Res Publica and Art of War. Just play on the 1.11.4 patch until they're in a better place with the Common Sense stuff. PM me your Steam ID, Ag. I need more CFB-GAF on my friends list.

 

[Syroc]

After 29 hours my first game has come to an end. Picked Portugal to begin with. I figured Spain would be a good buffer country that could shield from the madness of central Europe giving me the chance to build a trade empire so we formed an alliance.

It started slow and Spain quickly took away a lot of the South American provinces, but instead of fighting them over the colonies I went east to get my hands on some spices. This went very well for a hundred years or so and I took possession of half of Borneo, the Philippines, and parts of Indonesia. Then I was getting restless and started attacking my neighbors.

Turns out 200 years of peaceful colonization have not prepared me for warfare. Things were going poorly but I eventually managed to gain a province from Brunei, vassalized Pasai after forcing them to release Malacca. This turned out to be a mistake in the long run… Malacca quickly turned from a statelet into a force to be reckoned with in South-East Asia and Brunei was constantly trying to gain their province back. Unfortunately for me they became friends with Ming who controlled all of China and send massive stacks of troops after me. With help from Vijyanagar (Who disliked me because of Goa.) they quickly reduced my South-East Asian holdings to dust and ashes.

At the same time (1700) Spain was losing control of it's colonies in South and Central America. They dragged me into countless defensive wars which eventually caused me to be at war with France. Spain was taken apart and I lost all my troops and ships. From then on even the smallest independent country in Africa thought it was a great idea to attack me and I spend the last 120 years at war. Unable to defend myself, the nation descended into chaos. Rebels sprung up everywhere and if it was for the Papal State of all nations they would have kept everything occupied forever.

PS: Portuguese Siberia shall avenge me.
PPS: My Portugal was so progressive all kings were turned into queens in the final summary.

 

[Facism]

so i went up and loaded EU4 only to find they locked buildings behind some paywall nonsense that requires i spunk money on Common Sense?

Is there a mod or something i can get that gets around this? Put me right off ever giving them money again.

 

[Deleted member 125677]

so i went up and loaded EU4 only to find they locked buildings behind some paywall nonsense that requires i spunk money on Common Sense?

Is there a mod or something i can get that gets around this? Put me right off ever giving them money again.

Paywall nonsense is called "an expansion"

 

[Basileus777]

Paywall nonsense is called "an expansion"

No, Paradox did fuck that up a bit. They scrapped the old building system and then locked part of the new system behind an expansion. They obviously didn't want to have to support both systems at once, but this halfway measure for those without common sense is a poor way to handle it. An update shouldn't gimp the game for those who don't buy the next expansion.

so i went up and loaded EU4 only to find they locked buildings behind some paywall nonsense that requires i spunk money on Common Sense?

Is there a mod or something i can get that gets around this? Put me right off ever giving them money again.

I don't think there is anything you can do other than revert to an earlier version of the game.

 

[Walshicus]

No, Paradox did fuck that up a bit. They scrapped the old building system and then locked part of the new system behind an expansion. They obviously didn't want to have to support both systems at once, but this halfway measure for those without common sense is a poor way to handle it. An update shouldn't gimp the game for those who don't buy the next expansion.

Agreed, it was a bit of a dick move by Paradox.

 

[GRaider81]

Which expansion is essential?


Also id quite like to do a native American game. Is that doable on vanilla?

 

[Uzzy]

Which expansion is essential?


Also id quite like to do a native American game. Is that doable on vanilla?

Art of War and Common Sense are the most essential. Conquest of Paradise adds in a lot of new events and mechanics for the Native Americans, so I'd suggest getting that, as playing them in a vanilla game would be quite lacking.

 

[Facism]

Paywall nonsense is called "an expansion"

No, Paradox did fuck that up a bit. They scrapped the old building system and then locked part of the new system behind an expansion. They obviously didn't want to have to support both systems at once, but this halfway measure for those without common sense is a poor way to handle it. An update shouldn't gimp the game for those who don't buy the next expansion.


I don't think there is anything you can do other than revert to an earlier version of the game.

Found a mod that lets you unlock building slots. Modders doing God's work, lairds. Called "unlimited buildings" in the workshop

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

I remember them handling the previous expansions feature sets better, seems like a royal screw up for CS though.

 

[Jhriad]

seems like a royal screw up for CS though.

That's a pretty good way to describe Common Sense.

 

[Uzzy]

100 Army Tradition is a hell of a thing.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

Only 4 / 4?

I swear half the leaders I see France with are like 6/6/6/6/6/6/6/6/6/6/

 

[Clevinger]

are there any good EU4 mods?

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

are there any good EU4 mods?

Kabouter is ok

 

[Deleted member 125677]

For sure, he has like a 4.79 player rating mangs

 

[Kabouter]

For sure, he has like a 4.79 player rating mangs

Pffft, only 4.30, I'm only 4th in the rankings.

 

[fanboi]

I am a backstabber.

In before someone else accuses me of backstabbing.

 

[KingSnake]

I am a backstabber.

In before someone else accuses me of backstabbing.

This is how a self-backstabber sounds like.

 

[fanboi]

Mod abuse! I demad a recount! Or whatever you say.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

 

[fanboi]

They never invaded Sweden you wanker!

 

[Uzzy]

They never invaded Sweden you wanker!

Thankfully EU4 lets us fix that historical aberration.

I know that whenever I form Great Britain, I put Rule Britannia on and salute a picture of the Queen. Then beat up the French.

 

[Deleted member 125677]

King Cnut 4ever

 

[Giant Panda]

I recently started as France for my first ever game in this series, and I had some pretty good progress against Burgundy initially, but then England came declared war on me without a Casus Belli and is beating me pretty good. Is this supposed to happen? I feel like there is just no way for me to compete currently.

 

[Niahak]

I recently started as France for my first ever game in this series, and I had some pretty good progress against Burgundy initially, but then England came declared war on me without a Casus Belli and is beating me pretty good. Is this supposed to happen? I feel like there is just no way for me to compete currently.

England might have a Casus Belli initially since this is part of the Hundred Years War (might be a Core of theirs that you own). If not, they may have forged a claim on your territory (which you can also do to others via the diplomacy menu under espionage).

Early on it's important to get an alliance with a large neighbor who can help you in defensive wars especially to deter other large attackers. Austria is an okay choice for France (although you may get dragged into HRE politics and defensive wars) - I'd consider Castille, Aragon or Hungary as better possibilities. Two of these would be even better, but make sure you have at least one avenue for expansion.

France isn't nearly as easy as it used to be, since you no longer start at war with a (weaker) England and Burgundy is more stubborn than it was. You'll definitely need at least one ally to survive the first 40 years. Once you hit the 1500s you'll be in better shape if you've managed to expand a little.

 

[Mgoblue201]

are there any good EU4 mods?

Out of all the mods I've played recently, the only one I really enjoy is Dei Gratia, which adds religious minorities to the game. Though EU4 obviously doesn't have a population system, the mod simulates minorities by including them as a province modifier. The great thing about it is the system feels really organic: with your encouragement religious minorities can grow over time, or you can deal with them by being a lot less tolerant. The mod is a little rough, but I kind of wish Paradox would implement a similar system. Other than that, I'd just skip all the major mods like MEIOU and Taxes.

 

[TheMan]

so, this bad mamba jamba is on sale on steam and I'm interested in delving into this genre. Question- how does it compare to Civ V?

 

[Fitz]

so, this bad mamba jamba is on sale on steam and I'm interested in delving into this genre. Question- how does it compare to Civ V?

I tried to write a summary but I couldn't adequately sum up all the differences, besides being real-time (with varying speed and pause at any time), your best bet I think is to check out some gameplay videos, people like quill18 and Arumba do a lot of Europa videos. It's a fantastic game though, once you're over the learning curve, you'll reach a vast plateau of deep and varying gameplay.

 

[Niahak]

so, this bad mamba jamba is on sale on steam and I'm interested in delving into this genre. Question- how does it compare to Civ V?

There's a lot more to learn early on. Technology is much more passive and it is very difficult (and usually not worth it except early on) to stay ahead in tech. There are discrete provinces, but combat is largely uncontrollable once it starts and only tactical in the sense of positioning (e.g. luring an enemy across a river or into a mountain province to gain advantages).

Wars are more about building a web of alliances and finding ways to neutralize the enemy's advantages, such as taking control of a tactical strait with your navy or destroying the enemy army early on so it can't resupply.

Diplomacy is a lot deeper since in addition to the typical alliances, you have royal marriages (which can in fact impact gameplay in addition to relations - if you're diligent you can strategically royal marry when a monarch is about to die off without an heir, getting you into a position to force a personal union over the country), vassalization, protectorates, colonies, etc.

Factional differences are about gradually unlocked passive bonuses. Each nation (well, most any you'd play) has a unique idea set which unlocks different passives as you progress, and you will also choose specific ideas (e.g. colonization, religious conversion, offensive military, etc) based on your needs at the time or which direction you want to go.

EU4 isn't super comparable to Civ V because Civ is like a board game writ large with small bits of randomness (mostly map generation and AI). EU4 has more randomness and a lot more variables to deal with, so your job is figuring out which ones are relevant and acting on them. It can be really rewarding when you seize the moment and manage to get a large advantage over a long-term rival, but you can also get stuck in bad situations - sometimes through no fault of your own - for a long time as well.

Oh, also an EU4 game (1444-1821) lasts around 30 or 40 hours. Maybe more. It does depend a lot on how much you like to expand.

tl/dr; Higher learning curve, more rewarding, more addictive, slower paced. I think I have played Civ V a bit more simply because it's been out longer, but EU4 will occasionally steal half a weekend from me. Fitz's recommendation to watch a bit of gameplay is a good one, since it will give you a much better idea of the play-by-play.

 

[Haly]

It's more simulation and less "game". To appreciate the difference, compare something like Gran Turismo to Mario Kart. They're both games about driving but one is clearly more "gameified" than the other.

Civ is a game about territory management and warfare, with themes that draw from historical cultures and societies.

EU4 is a window into the 15th century, with all its political, economic and militaristic idiosyncrasies.

 

[Basileus777]

Eh, calling EU4 a simulation is a stretch. It's still very much a game, it's just a grand strategy one and not a 4x.

 

[Haly]

I consider Grand Strategies as a whole to be much less game-y than 4x. It's a niche genre for this very reason, in my opinion.

 

[ZZMitch]

https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...iary-november-26th-2015.892682/&sdpDevPosts=0

Really cool updates to RNW... actually looks fun this time!

 

[StrongBelwas]

This is on sale on steam and I'm very interested in buying this. Just wondering if the base game is fine way to play or do I need expansions or mods or anything like that? Any help is appreciated.

 

[xeris]

This is on sale on steam and I'm very interested in buying this. Just wondering if the base game is fine way to play or do I need expansions or mods or anything like that? Any help is appreciated.

While I love some of the expansions, I'd just get the base game for now. The expansions add some interesting stuff and new systems, but if you haven't played an EU before it might be best to learn without them first.

 

[StrongBelwas]

While I love some of the expansions, I'd just get the base game for now. The expansions add some interesting stuff and new systems, but if you haven't played an EU before it might be best to learn without them first.

Thanks! Super excited to tuck into this!

 

[cntr]

Bought EU4's full collection on the Christmas sale, might actually get a computer powerful enough to play it!

But for now, Sabaton is great.

 

[danthefan]

I'm following some YouTube videos, when it comes to trade it seems like the version I'm playing is different to the video, maybe via a patch.

How do I get the effect of light ships on a trade node? I've tried parking them near the node, patrolling back and forth around the node, I'm getting no effect.

 

[Mgoblue201]

I'm following some YouTube videos, when it comes to trade it seems like the version I'm playing is different to the video, maybe via a patch.

How do I get the effect of light ships on a trade node? I've tried parking them near the node, patrolling back and forth around the node, I'm getting no effect.

After selecting a navy, go to naval missions, protect trade, and click on a node in the window.

 

[danthefan]

After selecting a navy, go to naval missions, protect trade, and click on a node in the window.

Doh, thanks.

 

[la_briola]

I just found out about the "Better Font Mod" and now the game is finally playable for me!
I CAN READ (SEE) THE TEXT!

Well... its not compatible with 1.17, so I thought I tried the good old "supported_version="1.17.*.*" trick, but now it crashes when I select any units.

Feels bad. Is there a way to downgrade the game to 1.16 (steam)?

edit: oh, downgrading is very easy in steam (beta tab)!